Research Briefing
Hong Kong: pro-democracy protests and proposed FAC visit
A summary of recent events related to Hong Kong, including the pro-democracy protests and the Chinese Government's refusal to allow the Foreign Affairs Committee to visit.
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Research Briefing
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill 2014-15
The Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill is a Private Members’ Bill presented by Christopher Chope. The Bill makes provision “to restrict the entitlement of non-UK Citizens from the European Union and the European Economic Area to taxpayer-funded benefits.” The Bill provides that the restrictions on entitlement are “notwithstanding the provisions of the European Communities Act 1972.”
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Research Briefing
The Arms Trade Treaty
A legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April 2013. It provides, for the first time, an international legal and regulatory framework for the arms trade based on respect for international law and human rights. The UK ratified the treaty on 2 April 2014. Primary legislation was not required for ratification but secondary legislation was amended and the UK’s Consolidated Criteria, which are the basis upon which official decisions are made about whether to approve licence applications for arms exports, were updated. The treaty enters into force on 24 December 2014
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Research Briefing
Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons
On 8-9 December interested parties will convene in Vienna for the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. This will be the third conference on this issue in two years and is the result of an increasing focus by the non-nuclear weapon states on a previously little-debated aspect of the nuclear weapons debate: the humanitarian consequences of their use. On 2 December the British government announced that it would attend the Vienna conference, in contrast to the two previous conferences on this subject.
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Research Briefing
Libya: deepening conflict
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Libya, as the country splits among warring factions. The country now has two parliaments and its internationally-accepted government is based in a hotel in Tobruk.
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Research Briefing
The UK’s EU surcharge
Debate over the UK’s EU budget surcharge of £1.63bn1 has raged since the end of October, culminating in an urgent question in the House on Monday (11th November). The Chancellor of the Exchequer claims to have, amongst other things, halved the surcharge – his opponents say that this is based on a rebate which was
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Research Briefing
Armed Forces Pension Scheme legacy issues – survivors’ benefits
Looks at changes in survivors benefits from the armed forces pension schemes
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Research Briefing
The UK block opt-out in police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters: recent developments
The UK Government would like to opt back into 35 measures in the area of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters adopted before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, but will the other EU Member States agree unanimously on this? Will the Government manage to get approval for the draft regulations published on 6 November which complete the transposition of 11 of the 35 opt-back-ins?
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Research Briefing
CAP reform 2014-20: EU Agreement and Implementation in the UK and in Ireland (updated)
CAP reform 2014-2020 has been agreed and is now being implemented. This paper sets out stakeholder reaction and key implementation decisions for the four countries of the UK, and also of Ireland. It updates the November 2013 version which was prepared as government consultations on implementation were still on-going.
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Research Briefing
Making EU law into UK law
EU law becomes part of UK law by means of primary or secondary legislation (Act of Parliament, Order or Statutory Instrument) or by administrative rules. This note looks at the procedures for transposing EU law in the UK.
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Research Briefing
UK-USA Mutual Defence Agreement
The Mutual Defence Agreement allows the US and UK to exchange nuclear materials, technology and information in order to improve their atomic weapon design, development and fabrication capabilities. The most important part of the MDA is due to expire at the end of 2014 and therefore an amendment treaty, which will extend this deadline to 2024, must be ratified by both States and brought into force by the end of this year.
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Research Briefing
European Union (Referendum) Bill
This Private Member’s Bill was introduced to the Commons on 2 July 2014 and requires the holding of a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union (EU) before the end of 2017. This Paper has been prepared as a guide in advance of the second reading on Friday 17 October.
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Total results (page 126 of 173)